A rural Texan community's residents are taking matters into their own hands after a crypto facility moved in and started causing issues.

What's happening?

Homeowners near the small neighborhood of Mitchell Bend say they've been living with nonstop noise. It started when a cryptocurrency facility — owned by Florida-based MARA Holdings — set up shop less than a mile away.

The constant roar of industrial fans cooling nearly 60,000 bitcoin-mining computers is driving some people nuts to the brink of exhaustion. 

Residents describe it as "a plane that never lands" or "sleeping with a leaf blower under your pillow," according to the Texas Tribune.

Now, they're fighting back by trying to create their own city. If approved, Mitchell Bend would become a two-square-mile township with around 600 residents. It would have the power to pass its own noise ordinances, which is currently not something Texas counties can do.

"We're tired of billion-dollar companies coming in and ruining our lives," resident Danny Lakey said during a public meeting, as reported by the Texas Tribune. "And we're getting really good at fighting Goliath."

Why are crypto mining centers concerning?

This is just one example of a larger trend in the U.S. All around the nation, cryptocurrency and tech companies are building energy-intensive facilities in areas with available land and cheap energy.

On one hand, crypto backers point out the economic benefits of job creation and tax revenue that these facilities bring. Still, the environmental and social costs can be a downside. 

Crypto mining and data centers require enormous amounts of power and water to stay cool. This can generate heat-trapping pollution when powered by dirty energy sources (which is more often than not the case). 

According to the Texas comptroller's office, industrial-scale crypto mining can use over 2,000 megawatts of energy a day in Texas alone. That's enough to power nearly 680,000 homes. They also contribute to rising energy demand, putting pressure on grids and increasing utility costs for locals.

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For many in Mitchell Bend, the issue isn't about being anti-crypto — it comes down to quality of life. 

"You can be here, I don't mind," Lakey said to the Texas Tribune. "Just be quiet, be a good neighbor … and you're welcome to stay."

What's being done about crypto mining centers?

Residents will vote in November on whether to incorporate Mitchell Bend so they can require MARA to do something about its noisy crypto center. Similar efforts have helped small towns hold large industries accountable for their impact on communities and the environment.

Local leaders have urged the Texas legislature to give counties the authority to set statewide noise limits. They haven't had any luck yet. Until that happens, communities like Mitchell Bend are left to fend for themselves.

The crypto debate isn't likely to fade anytime soon. While the industry has increased its renewable-powered mining and invested in sustainable projects, many say it has a long way to go. Without proper oversight, energy-hungry facilities can worsen community tensions, local quality of life, and planet-heating pollution.

As resident Geraldine Lathers put it, "I don't really want to be a city, but what choices have you got?"

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